The sequel to Guillermo Del Toro’s monster versus machine film, Pacific Rim, will feature John Boyega as the leading man.

Boyega, who is most likely known to the world as stormtrooper turned rebel Finn, is gaining traction after his breakout performance in last year’s incredibly anticipated film, The Force Awakens.

Speaking on the casting, Del Toro says;

I am very proud and happy to welcome John into a fantastic sandbox. The ‘Pacific Rim’ universe will be reinforced with him as a leading man as it continues to be a multicultural, multi-layered world. “The World saving the world” was our goal and I couldn’t think of a better man for the job.

Set Mo have quickly established themselves as a go-to source for emotionally-driven house, so it’s a pleasure to see they have returned with a brand new collaboration.

Entitled “Comfort You,” the Syndey duo’s newest effort finds them teaming up with Melbourne vocalist Fractures for a feel-good production as he soothingly sings, “Tell me what you feel, I’m here to comfort you,” atop their undeniably airy, uplifting house instrumentals.

Check out “Comfort You” after the jump and be sure to follow UTG on Twitter for more music news.

Don’t ever expect to stand around at a Cage The Elephant show. They sure won’t. “That guy is going to be completely spent by the time this show is over,” I thought to myself as I watched lead singer Matthew Shultz power through the lines of “Cry Baby” in frenetic and sometimes acrobatic fashion. The studio version of the 2105 album, Tell Me I’m Pretty, is a little bit calmer. The live version is turned up to the max, welcoming you to a light where you will get your money’s worth. Read more »

By the looks of the packed Music Hall of Williamsburg, the five-year absence of The Kills did not go unnoticed. For that venue, where bands can be virtually on top of the front row, this was a great night for a gritty rock show. As a constant supporter of The White Stripes, it’s impressive to see a two-person ensemble release so much fury. (Coincidentally, The Kills’ Alison Mosshart plays with Jack White in The Dead Weather). If you were looking for a morsel of space, it was nowhere to be found—although, perhaps just enough for a puddle of sweat to accumulate throughout the hour-and-a-half set filled with dancing. Read more »

Vancouver electronic artist Sakkieftw has some of the most electrifying creations I’ve heard in some time. Traversing all areas of electronic music—from breakbeat to dubstep and everything in between—you’ll find massive, crunchy beats, buzzsaw synths and plenty more to snap you out of it on the artist’s new EP, Experiment 1.3.2.

If coffee just isn’t doing the trick, turn your speakers up in the morning and put this joint on. It may make you sweat and you might need a neck brace afterwards, but at least you’ll be up and at ’em.

You can stream all five tracks on Experiment 1.3.2 below where you’ll also find the accompanying video for the effort’s opener “Spiral” featuring Kaeli McArter. Read more »

Oliver Tree has a diverse array of musical talent under his belt in terms of vocals and production, so it’s only right the California native’s collaboration with Getter pushes the latter musician into less-explored territory.

“Soulmother, I Love You” features an ethereal atmosphere that evolves from a calming set of chopped-up vocals and minimal percussion into a funky, bass-wobbling hook that remains within the confines of the track’s dreamy vibes. When asked about the song, Tree noted it started as an idea in 2012 before eventually becoming “the first and only track we’ve ever created that we weren’t together during the creative process” early last year.

Without further ado, though, check out the childhood friends’ joint effort after the jump.

From the makers of heralded comedic masterpieces such as “Dick in a Box” and “Motherlover” comes a 21st century satire on the extravagance and vapidness of modern pop idols. Sounds like a pretty good tagline, right? I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t excited about The Lonely Island’s new brainchild. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a whirlwind of a comedy, throwing the viewer into gag after gag until it causes whiplash. The problem here is that not every gag lands. This Is Spinal Tap this is not, but there are so many hints at greatness here that you may not care. Read more »

Self-proclaimed “swamp rock” duo The Lost Poets is a very busy band. Having relocated from Sweden to Los Angeles, the ever-mysterious two-piece has a lot going on this year, including a new album, a short film, and a children’s book to boot.

The Lost Poets’ newest release, Insubordia pt II, is a 10-track rocker packed with grunge, grittiness, driving guitars, aggressive vocals, and a darkness that often looms throughout. The eeriness is only amplified by the nature in which its faceless creators present themselves.

Below, you can stream Insubordia pt II in its entirety, view the band’s music video for “Danny Electro,” and a very brief trailer for their short as well. Read more »

Now that it’s June, every music lover is faced with an incredibly important task: finding songs for the ultimate Summer playlist. A prime candidate for that playlist just dropped, and it comes in the form of GOLDHOUSE and Lostboycrow‘s collaboration, “Free From The Start” (via Kick Kick Snare).

The song is an upbeat celebration, with a killer hook and excellently produced electronic influences. GOLDHOUSE discussed the creation of the song in a press release, stating “I wanted the production to match the energy in [Lostboycrow]’s voice and found the funky 808 bass and beat that works perfect underneath it. It’s a song to roll your windows down and drive to the beach to.”

We couldn’t agree more with his assessment. Check out “Free From The Start” for yourself below. Read more »

Don’t panic, but Brand New might have just given us a sign that there is an end date to the band. Normally new merch is a thing to celebrate, but the t-shirt designs that Brand New released today carry a very interesting detail.

We’ve included pictures of the shirt designs below for you to check out. Notice those dates? The shirts read “2000-2018.” At the very least, Jesse Lacey has given us awhile to cope with this news.

Just a few weeks ago Brand New released “I Am A Nightmare,” their first single in a year. The band is also touring with Modest Mouse this summer, and this news will surely make any future tours in the next two years an incredibly coveted ticket. Read more »

This year has been amazing so far for music releases. Our current favorite bands are releasing new albums along with those we thought lost to the void of hiatus or the once-final “break-up.” But we must not stop seeking out new music each and every day as well.

The entire album was recorded in Hoepfl’s bedroom using a Boss loop guitar effects pedal to lay down each track, giving it a beautifully tasteful lo-fi aspect. We reached out to Chris regarding the writing process and his inspiration for the record and he had this to say on the subjects: Read more »

On May 20, theatrical rock superstars Ghost came through The Orbit Room in Grand Rapids, MI with special guests Pinkish Black and one of the most unique stage performances I have encountered in a long time. Much of the crowd arrived in face paint and outfits—from nuns to ghouls, and even impersonators of Papa Emeritus himself—everyone had their own way of showing their support. Read more »